Former Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba was elected as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) new leader and also the country’s 102 prime minister after the second round of voting held today. The 67-year-old minister will assume his duties after the National Assembly session to be held on October 1.
Following former Prime Minister and LDP Chairman Fumio Kishida’s resignation due to falling public support for the ruling party, a leadership election was held in the party. The election’s first round ended with nobody among 9 candidates winning the absolute majority of the votes and Shigeru Ishiba competed against Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi in the second round.